When the snow melts and the buds begin to bloom you can usually find Hercules the Lesser on that stretch grass in front of General John G. Pershing Elementary School playing catch with Louise. She didn’t mind because he wore his winter gloves under his mitt and she didn’t have to hold back when she threw the ball to him.
They never played for too long, but it was always very special time for them. They rarely talked. Hercules the Lesser mostly granted and moaned. Louise mostly hummed songs that made her smile. When he spoke = on this particular day – Louise was a bit taken aback.
“How do you know if you’re in love,” he asked between catching and throwing.
“You just do,” she said.
“I guess I do,” Hercules the Lesser said and smiled at his friend.
Louise smiled back at him. She wound up and threw a celebratory fastball and then she watched him chase it into a puddle.
